2023 Final Awards

Congratulations to UMass Lowell's 2023 DifferenceMaker $50K Idea Challenge Winners!

Prize categories and winners are as follows:


Rist Campus-Wide DifferenceMaker (Sponsored by Kim and Brian Rist '77, Manning School of Business), $6,000

Catnap - A device toddlers can wear on their ankle and toe measuring oxygen saturation levels without any discomfort.

  • Fritznere Brutus - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Michael Ciampo - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Khadija el Hadad - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Majd El Hachem - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Matheus Fonseca - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Haris Kum - Undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering

Commitment to a Sustainable Environment (Sponsored by Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy), $4,000

Solar Sails - A new, solar-powered drone that is also cost-effective and functional in difficult weather conditions.

  • Quin Liang - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Samuel Maracallo -Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Michael McCarthy - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Aidan McKeon - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Brian Nguyen - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Mohammed Saif - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering

Jack. M. Wilson First Product to Market Award (Sponsored by Jack Wilson, President Emeritus), $3,000

App Track - An AI-platform that creates a customized resume for each application a jobseeker submits without any additional steps required.

  • Connor Ludford - Undergraduate, Accounting

Smart Azan - An app notifying users when it is time to pray and play Adhan on their phones or compatible smart speakers.

  • Haad Naeem - Undergraduate, Biology

Sutherland Innovative Technology Solution (Sponsored by Andrew Sutherland '94, Manning School of Business), $4,000

Rent Scoop - A community-driven platform seeking to provide never-before-seen data to renters.

  • Anthony Terravecchia - Undergraduate, Computer Science
  • Nuno Mestre - Undergraduate, Computer Science

Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle, $4,000 (Sponsored by Enterprise Bank)

NeuroLyze - A smart device inserted into helmets to track impact magnitude and help prevent long-term brain damage caused by concussions.

  • Jeremy Hilton - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
  • Anthony Lawlor - Undergraduate, Computer Science
  • Elliot Johnson - Undergraduate, Applied Biomedical Sciences

Significant Social Impact, $4,000 (Sponsored by UKG)

Innovation - An interactive, educational building kit introducing both children and adults to famous inventors and their creations.

  • Julie Sage - Undergraduate, Physics
  • Andrew Theobald - Undergraduate, Computer Science

Honorable Mentions, $2,000

CryptoPigeon - A dependable messaging app that uses cryptocurrency and smart contracts rather than large corporations to pay for messaging and servers.

  • Akshay Kolli - Graduate, Computer Science
  • Anveshak Rathore - Graduate, Computer Science
  • Shivam Patel - Undergraduate, Computer Science

Quick Release Window Bars - A device allowing previously existing window bars to be removed from the inside while still maintaining external security.

  • Deigo King - Graduate, Business Administration

Shared Vision/ Vision House - An educational program to give more people an opportunity to learn media literacy and filmmaking.

  • Sammy Santana - Undergraduate, Architectural Studies and Writing

Fan Favorite, $1,000

Votecational - An application that provides voters a non-bias educational experience.

  • Dawson Durgin - Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering